Zoobomb's annual Mini Bike Winter fest has begun! The event, which lasts through Sunday, started last night when the Irondelles (Portland's all-female tall bike gang) led a ride to spruce up area ghost bikes and do some craft-making for upcoming events.

Tonight, Zoobomb takes it to a whole other level with the much-anticipated return of the Ben Hurt Chariot Wars.

A scene from the 2008 Ben Hurt Chariot Wars

For the uninitiated, the Chariot Wars are an intense competition; a mix between the famous chariot scenes from Ben Hur (hence the name) combined with the creative, DIY talents of our local freak bike makers. The chariots (bike trailers) range from shopping carts to fully armored and riveted battle sleds. Heck, last year someone even showed up with a gutted out, pedal-powered VW Beetle!

There are referees and some basic rules, but it's almost anything goes and the last team standing wins. There will be blood and who knows what else — but to the victor goes the spoils (which besides bragging rights, includes this fantastic trophy).

Teams are expected from all over the region including Seattle, Vancouver BC, and Salt Lake City, Utah. In the past, this has been one of the most exciting events on Portland's yearly bike calendar (and that's saying a lot).

Check out the event poster...

And this video from last year is very good:

Mini Bike Winter | 2010 from Richie Thomassen on Vimeo.

I've got photos from several years of chariot wars for your browsing pleasure. To see this year's action, meet at Colonel Summers Park (SE 20th and Belmont) at 9:00 pm. A ride will lead to the location of the event. More info on the Chariot Wars blog.

Portlandia is the new, six-part IFC miniseries that's getting a lot of buzz around these parts for its attempts to poke fun at Portland's idiosyncrasies. Back before the holidays, we shared a bit about it over on Page Two because, as you might expect, bicycling figures prominently into the show.

Now, in a newly released teaser clip titled Bicycle Rights!, Portlandia's co-lead actor Fred Armisen gives us a taste of how they'll handle the subject...

I can't wait to see the full skit. I think it's hilarious. How about you?

More on Portlandia here.

Portland based Retro Image Apparel has a new jersey coming out this spring based on a print by local artist Jimmy Cavalieri. Jimmy is a long time reader and supporter of BikePortland, so we're really excited to see this jersey happen.

Check out the design below...

Jimmy Cavalieri.

Retro Image Apparel founder and art director Roger Mallette says his company has entered into a license agreement with Cavalieri and several local shops have already shown interest. The artwork for the new jersey is based on Cavalieri's "171 cogs" print that debuted at the Artcrank Poster Show in Portland back in October.

Retro Image also makes the jersey for local brewery Lucky Lab and has inked deals with many brands including The New Yorker, Dr. Seuss, and others.

Retro Image is just one of many bike-related apparel companies doing business in Portland. Others include Castelli, Rapha, Wabi Woolens, Showers Pass, VeloClothes.com, BicyclingHub.com and others.

Drawing by Tom Labonty. See it on Flickr.

Artist and cargo bike
builder Tom Labonty.
(Photo © J. Maus)

You might remember Tom for his homemade cargo bikes that we featured back in August 2009. Tom has created quite a following for his bikes via his website TomsCargoBikes.com. Not only does he build bikes, he also encourages other to do it themselves.

I found his "Rat-Fiets" drawing thanks to friend and local cargo bike fan Travis Wittwer. It was inspired by the work of famous hot rod artist "Big Daddy" Ed Roth.

I'd like to see it on a t-shirt! Nice work Tom.

Get ready to be inspired and entertained by a wide variety of bicycle-themed films. The Bicycle Film Festival and Filmed By Bike are both gearing up for 2011.

The Bicycle Film Festival has just announced dates and screenings for their 2011 Portland stop. This two-day festival, founded by New York City resident Brendt Barbur, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a mind-boggling lineup of the best bike films gleaned from around the globe. I'm looking forward to this documentary about Italian frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli, also known as "Ciocc" (a legendary brand that my stepdad happens to be a huge fan of).

Watch the trailer below...

Anima D'Acciaio Trailer Ver5.1 from Cinecycle on Vimeo.

There are six different programs and the action starts on February 26th. All screenings happen at the Clinton Street Theater in Southeast Portland. Check trailers and film details at BicycleFilmFestival.com.

On April 15-17th, Portland's homegrown bike film fest, Filmed by Bike will offer its legendary concoction of fun and film for the ninth year in a row. Event organizer and founder Ayleen Crotty says submissions are still coming in ahead of the January 20th deadline (you've still got time!). This year, Ayleen has been wowed by some great films already under consideration that have come in from as far away as Australia, Japan, and Spain. Even with a bit of global flair, Filmed by Bike is sure to feature many films from Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this year's fest — and meet the esteemed jury who will select the films — at FilmedByBike.org.

You might have noticed a bright new bike-inspired piece of public art on N. Williams Avenue just north of Fremont. The large panel is part of a multi-piece wall of murals that have gone up around the Boise-Eliot Outdoor Market.

The artist, former planner (design review) for the City of Portland Chris Beanes, emailed me the other day to tell me about the painting. I asked him to share his inspiration and a bit more background.

The subject itself is a bike riding calavera based on the traditional Mexican folk art tradition of cutting paper into elaborate designs known as "papel picado." The snake above the bike rider represents the spirit of ancient Mesoamerian deity Quetzelcoatl.

Chris said he's noticed a distinct lack of Latinos riding bikes in Portland and the painting is part of his personal effort to address that issue (he also applied to be on the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee). Beyond the lack of diversity among Portland's riding population, Chris wants to spread the word about biking because he credits it for keeping his diabetes at bay. "I am a testament to the goodness of biking — diabetes runs in my family and I attribute biking to keeping me healthy."

Chris says the mural is "meant to be a bridge, one of many to come."

Self-described web developer, musician and bike geek T. J. VanSlyke, a Portland resident, has a track on his new album about the Idaho Stop law. VanSlyke describes his music as "white-boy electro rap" and the "Idaho Stop" track appears on his album "I Sold Out But No One Bought Me."

Before sharing some of the song's lyrics, here's some background on the Idaho Stop for all of you who are not familiar...
Idaho Stop refers to a law on the books in the great state of Idaho wherein people on bicycles are not required to come to a complete stop before proceeding (safely, of course) through an intersection. Oregon made a very serious bid at a similar law back in 2009, but after several setbacks -- including some inaccurate news coverage, some unlikely opposition (that turned out not to be), and the unfortunate timing of a personnel change at the BTA -- the bill failed to win necessary support from legislators.

VanSlyke's tune describes his encounter with the police after getting a ticket for rolling a stop sign. Here are some of the lyrics:

"Rollin on up to M.L.K., piggie to my left and I ride away... take a right turn over too many lanes, piggie don't like that rolls my way. Piggie don't like that rolls my way...

Roll through a stop sign looking both ways, piggie flips his sirens makes his quota today."

And the chorus:

"This is the story about one little pig blew the money out the wallet of one punk kid. This is for all you cyclists out there who think running stop signs ain't no serious affair."

T. J. emailed to say the inspiration for the song came from a June 28th incident where he was cited for three moving violations (failure to obey a stop sign, improper right turn, and failure to obey a no left-turn sign) near the intersection of SE Yamhill and Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

T. J. admits he made the illegal maneuvers but said he did so because he was, "Unfamiliar with that stretch of MLK and was uncomfortable remaining on such a busy thoroughfare." He did "Idaho Stop" as, "a tribute to cyclists who believe they should be permitted exceptions to the rules of the road and given privileges above and beyond those of automobiles."

Listen to Idaho Stop and the entire album at T.J.'s page on BOP.fm (might be NSFW, so put your headphones on). The album is due out next month. Learn more about T.J. at TJVanSlyke.com.

Tony Pereira and his new suit. (Photos © J. Maus)

Bikes and fashion have enjoyed a renewed romance in America in the last few years. From the Cycle Chic movement to the proliferation of bike fashion shows, there is a growing awareness of -- and market for -- clothes that are stylish and comfortable to bike in. Today I spent some time on yet another bike fashion front, custom-tailored (a.k.a. bespoke) cycling suits.

You might recall a story back in February 2009 when I announced Rapha's collaboration with renowned tailor Timothy Everest. The Rapha/Everest designed suit sells for £3,500 (that's about $5,500 U.S.) and Rapha offered one as the Grand Prize for the winning entry into the Constructor's Design Challenge during last year's Oregon Manifest.

Tony in his shop.

After 27 entries from all over the country were raced and judged, one of Tony Pereira's bikes won that challenge. He picked up his prize a few days ago and I visited his shop in North Portland today to take a closer look.

Everest lives in London, but Pereira met up with him at a posh hotel on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles to be measured and fit for the suit. Tony says he was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was Everest very cool and down to earth (turns out he was only staying at the posh hotel because his friend owns it), but he and Everest had much in common.

"Our businesses are so similar," says Pereira, "He was as excited to talk to me as I was to talk to him... we hit it off." Pereira learned that the bespoke tailoring business is the "same world" he works in. "We've got the same challenges of working with customers and staying true to our styles." He also gained respect for the craft of custom tailoring as Everest took "much more detailed" and numerous measurements than Pereira does for a bike fit.

Rear pockets and extra room
across the back. Nice.

Like Pereira -- a builder who has won national awards for his bicycles and has played a big role in a revival of custom bike sales in America -- Everest is credited with reviving the bespoke tradition. Everest is also a daily bike commuter based in London who happens to be friends with one of the founders of Rapha Cycling Apparel, so the collaboration on a cycling suit was a natural partnership.

Pereiera's new suit (detail photos below) is a seamless mix of fashion and cycling-specific utility. It's got an expandable section across the back to facilitate outstretched arms, the front flaps button up to stay out of the way of pedaling thighs, the collar buttons up to keep out the cold, and the cuffs fold down so the sleeves still fit when you reach for the bars. The jacket and vest both have many pockets, including rear pockets that are conveniently placed for those of us familiar with bike jerseys. The material is a rain and stain resistant wool and the suit is lined in satin with hand-stitched felt on the cuffs and flaps.

But how does it actually perform? Pereira gives it high marks. Wearing it during a recent run of errands in 80 degree temps, he said it was very comfortable. During my visit to his shop, Pereira wore the pants and vest while he worked on a bike (replacing the jacket for a shop apron of course). He hunched over and bent down several times with ease and comfort.

Further weaving the bike and fashion fabric together, Pereira is working on a bike he says will complement the new suit. "It will have a similar color... I want it to go with the suit so when I'm all decked out, it's the full package."

Rapha has sold about 20 of these suits since they introduced the collaboration last year. At this price, I hardly think three-piece bespoke suits are the next major trend that will sweep over the bike world, but you never know. After all, with biking being "the new golf" and as more urban executives ride to work, they'll want a well-made suit that looks good on and off the bike.

You can see Tony's suit and his bike at the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show, which is coming to Sandbox Studios in Northeast Portland on October 9-10. If you want one for yourself, learn more on Rapha's website.

See more photos in the slideshow below:

New York City independent film maker and bike enthusiast Meaghan Wilbur is in Portland and Vancouver this week filming interviews for her ghost bike documentary, a project she says is about "exploring the intersection of street art, activism, and mourning on the streets of cities around the world."

In an interview Friday night, the gregarious 27 year-old talked about her project and her motivations. “I hope to expand people’s horizons; I want everyone to understand what a ghost bike stands for." However, in her quest, Wilbur is being mindful of the inherent sensitivity surrounding the subject. "When I started [the ghost bike project], I didn’t want to be in people’s face while they were grieving… Right now, I am focusing on connecting with people and letting them share their stories."

Another aspect of the documentary is creating a city-to-city comparison of the installation process and community reaction to ghost bikes. "There is a different approach in each city,” Wilbur stated. According to Wilbur, variance in community characteristics between cities creates regional specific aspects to the ghost bike phenomenon. “Every community has their own battles in their quest to become livable cities,” she explained, “those community specific battles can change the message people are trying to say [through ghost bikes].”

There also appears to be no universal response to ghost bikes as memorials. “In some cities, people think ghost bikes are co-opting death for activist reasons and in other cities, friends and families [of the deceased cyclist] are the ones putting in the ghost bike,” Wilbur explained. “It’s a real mix about how people respond to a ghost bike being put in,” she stated.

Ghost bike for Nick Bucher in SE Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Wilbur’s project givers her unique perspectives on the nature of ghost bikes. So far Wilbur has documented ghost bikes in New York City, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Miami, Sao Paulo (Brazil), Vancouver and Portland. “It’s a documentary, so things have to be filmed where and how they unfold,” Wilbur stated.

At a local level, Bike Me! Vancouver facilitator Leah Jackson supports the installation of ghost bikes. “Ghost bikes are important because they increase awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists” Jackson stated. Jackson, who was interviewed by Wilbur, is not alone in her support for local ghost bikes.

North Portland resident Rachal Harden also supports ghost bikes as awareness tools. “[Ghost bikes] really drive home that cyclist are being killed… they’re not about scaring cyclists away from the road or guilt-tripping drivers, [ghost bikes] are there to remind people how vulnerable cyclists are on the road,” Harden stated.

Wilbur is currently self-funding her project. To help with the cost, she has a KickStarter account set up and she hopes to raise $2,500 by July 4th (which happens to be her birthday).

Wilbur expects to be done filming by August and ready for next year’s independent film festivals. On Wednesday, Wilbur will fly to London and later Albuquerque, New Mexico to continue her project. She can be contacted at ghostbikesfilm@gmail.com.

One of the fringe benefits of living in a healthy bike ecosystem is that bike-inspired art is all around us. On that note, a few items have crossed my desk recently that I though were worth sharing.

The first is a photo exhibition coming to Charles A. Hartman Fine Art (134 NW 8th Ave). Pedaling: Bicycle Photographs From Then to Now is a survey of photographs spanning 125 years. "In celebration of summer and the vibrant cycling community in the gallery’s hometown of Portland," Hartman has put together an impressive collection for this show. The exhibition features work from such noted artists as: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, Antonin Gribovsky, Shinsaku Izumi, André Kertész, Herman Landshoff, Nathan Lerner, and others. Here's more to whet your appetite:

"... images that examines our life with, and affection for, the bicycle. Ranging in style from social documentary to modernist abstraction and in impulse from charming to studious, the photographs that make up this exhibition spotlight the many ways in which bicycles are a part of our lives. From transportation to sport to simple fun, this historic and elegant technology continues to play a vital part in our contemporary culture."

The exhibition opens June 16th and runs through July 31st. Visit the gallery for a reception on First Thursday, July 1st, from 5:30 to 8:30pm. More info here.

A scene from the Artcrank
show last year.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Artcrank, the "Poster party for bike people" that was a big success last year, has announced it will return to Portland in 2010. The show will happen at The Cleaners at Ace Hotel (403 SW 10th Ave.) on October 7th from 5:00 to 11:00 pm.

The poster art is created by local artists and the show is a sale of the works with all proceeds benefitting a local non-profit. Check out Artcrank online for more info.

And finally today, I'd like to point you to new art created for the Portland Mercury's Bike Issue (which is in newsstands now and is fantastic by the way). The art was created by Portland-based design studio Script & Seal. Check it out:

If you love it (or think it's a fitting Father's Day gift perhaps?), prints are available for sale here.

If you know of more great bike art happening around town, drop us a line and we'll feature it in an upcoming roundup.

Mercury bike issue